Beta readers wanted

pickarooney · 13-10-2011 4:41pm #1

Who wants to read a 100,000 word perennial work in progress and tell me how to make it better?

I can supply it in any format you want, except possibly .MOV

Kinski · 13-10-2011 4:56pm

Aw, no .mov, but that was exactly the format everyone would have wanted :P

I'd be happy to help if you'd like, but I must warn you now, it would be an age before I'd be able to get back to you.

Leafonthewind · 13-10-2011 5:12pm

I'd love to read it, if you're willing to wait a few months for feedback. I'm not a very fast reader, and I do have to finish Diary of the Wolf first, but I'm working away at it.

Antilles · 13-10-2011 6:04pm

When you say "work in progress" do you mean you are in the editing phase or you haven't finished writing it yet?

FewFew · 13-10-2011 7:28pm

I'll do a swapsie with you as discussed... though I think I'm going to take more time with my 2nd book. Have some ideas I need to implement before I get your valued opinion on it.

Do you have it in that handy .mobi format? Doesn't matter if you don't, but I'll get it read a lot faster if I can throw it on my wee Kindle.

pickarooney · 13-10-2011 8:33pm

Antilles wrote: »

When you say "work in progress" do you mean you are in the editing phase or you haven't finished writing it yet?

Theoretically I've finished writing it now, barring a few inevitable changes after review. I did say this about two years and six rewrites ago though...

Fewcifur wrote: »

I'll do a swapsie with you as discussed... though I think I'm going to take more time with my 2nd book. Have some ideas I need to implement before I get your valued opinion on it.

Do you have it in that handy .mobi format? Doesn't matter if you don't, but I'll get it read a lot faster if I can throw it on my wee Kindle.

I did convert it to .mobi but it looks a bit uglier than the .epub I converted it from. The indentations and page breaks didn't work right. I'll try reconvert it tomorrow. If you've any tips for Calibre or Sigil or whatever you used to make your books I'm all ears.

13-10-2011 8:34pm

yeah, i have a couple weeks off after this week. not that i need a couple weeks. but anyway yeah i'll read it

Antilles · 13-10-2011 8:52pm

pickarooney wrote: »

Theoretically I've finished writing it now, barring a few inevitable changes after review. I did say this about two years and six rewrites ago though...

Is there a deadline on finishing reading? I'll volunteer my eyes but I'm pretty busy for the next fortnight so won't be able to get back to you before then.

Blush_01 · 13-10-2011 10:43pm

I've just finished American Gods, currently between interesting reads and in a mood for being constructively critical, if you're looking for someone who likes red pen...

pickarooney · 13-10-2011 10:57pm

Blush_01 wrote: »

I've just finished American Gods, currently between interesting reads and in a mood for being constructively critical, if you're looking for someone who likes red pen...

Hmm, I've just started American Gods

Blush_01 · 13-10-2011 11:06pm

I tore through it in a few days, and now I'm sorry I finished it, I didn't want it to end, even though I really wanted to find out what happened. Second Gaiman book I've read (the first was The Graveyard Book) and now I want to go book shopping... not good on my budget.

pickarooney · 13-10-2011 11:08pm

The first and only one I've read so far was Anansi Boys which I've just this minute discovered I maybe should have read after AG. Ah well.

Blush_01 · 13-10-2011 11:19pm

Just filled a basket on thebookdepository and I'm now trying to restrain myself from clicking on the checkout button.

I'm about to pick up Murakami, so if you're interested in sending that through to me let me know.

FewFew · 14-10-2011 12:17am

Blush_01 wrote: »

I've just finished American Gods, currently between interesting reads and in a mood for being constructively critical, if you're looking for someone who likes red pen...

Oh my god that's one of my favourite books. He's just one of those writers that gives you that "I wish I had thought of that... it's brilliant" feeling.

Blush_01 wrote: »

I tore through it in a few days, and now I'm sorry I finished it, I didn't want it to end, even though I really wanted to find out what happened. Second Gaiman book I've read (the first was The Graveyard Book) and now I want to go book shopping... not good on my budget.

Anansi Boys is the way to go if you're in a post-AG world. Not as good, but deals with a lot of similar concepts.

Neverwhere is good too.

pickarooney wrote: »

I did convert it to .mobi but it looks a bit uglier than the .epub I converted it from. The indentations and page breaks didn't work right. I'll try reconvert it tomorrow. If you've any tips for Calibre or Sigil or whatever you used to make your books I'm all ears.

I just use Smashwords to do it. Just upload a word file and they do all the rest. Even if you don't put in all their copyright stuff, it'll still pop out a finished product.

pickarooney · 14-10-2011 8:23am

Oh my god that's one of my favourite books. He's just one of those writers that gives you that "I wish I had thought of that... it's brilliant" feeling.

Absolutely. And it's always something that you think you maybe could have thought of rather than some esoteric concept you would never have dreamed up.

I've always loved the spider-god. I even wrote a play based on the Ananse stories when I was in college. Then I lost the one copy of it I had saved on a floppy. Good times. I tell my kids Ananse stories at bedtime too so maybe one of them will write the definitive spider book at some stage.

14-10-2011 8:42am

yay, anansi the spider!

pickarooney · 14-10-2011 9:05am

PMed some links in various formats.

Antilles · 14-10-2011 11:51am

I'd always assumed your surname was Rooney

BadGirl · 15-10-2011 3:28pm

Will be happy to read too if you want? Am not a writer but do love a good read

slavetothegrind · 15-10-2011 5:16pm

i'd also love to read it!

I am a fast reader and will pm you an honest opinion.

draylander · 19-10-2011 2:28am

Hey there Pick.
Have you a short synopsis we could read? Not meaning to sound be lazy, just genuinely interested (and maybe a little lazy)

pickarooney · 03-11-2011 12:46pm

Does anyone speak native or near-native Spanish that could check about a hundred words of dialogue?

Livvie · 06-11-2011 5:24pm

pickarooney wrote: »

Does anyone speak native or near-native Spanish that could check about a hundred words of dialogue?

I know someone Spanish if that helps?

FewFew · 06-11-2011 6:37pm

pickarooney wrote: »

Does anyone speak native or near-native Spanish that could check about a hundred words of dialogue?

A girl in my class is Spanish, and she's nice enough that I could ask her opinion

harrythehat · 06-11-2011 7:02pm

pickarooney wrote: »

Hmm, I've just started American Gods

Great book, great author.

Almost makes me wish I could summon up an interest in graphic novels.

pickarooney · 09-11-2011 2:00pm

I'll probably just throw all the Spanish into a separate text file and ask someone to check it but someone anonymous would be easier so I would probably like to take your friends up on the offers you've made on their behalf

BTW has anyone (besides LeafOnTheWind who has already delivered a full review like a star

) started this yet?

09-11-2011 2:33pm

i got halfway through it one day then got distracted
ill finish it soon

angelll · 09-11-2011 6:00pm

I'll give it a read if you like? I'm a v fast reader,plus i loved american gods too if it helps

Mr E · 09-11-2011 6:27pm

Me too.... If you're looking for more readers, I'll give it a go.
Just got a kindle 2 weeks ago, and I've read 5 books on it already. Flying through them.

Kinski · 09-11-2011 8:44pm

Yeah, I've started. I may finish it in two or three weeks.

pickarooney · 11-11-2011 7:53pm

angelll wrote: »

I'll give it a read if you like? I'm a v fast reader,plus i loved american gods too if it helps

Sent, thanks.

Mr E wrote: »

Me too.... If you're looking for more readers, I'll give it a go.
Just got a kindle 2 weeks ago, and I've read 5 books on it already. Flying through them.

PMed.

bluewolf wrote: »

i got halfway through it one day then got distracted
ill finish it soon

Yeah, it gets kind of unreadable about that stage

angelll · 11-11-2011 9:28pm

Just finished chapter 7,it's certainly drawing me in

Eli is v strange,wonder did she do away with andy's roommate....First impressions say it'll be an interesting read anyway

BadGirl · 12-11-2011 2:10am

Pickarooney, i've nothing to read since i finished Game of Thrones last week, if you would like me to read i'd love to...

pickarooney · 15-11-2011 12:47pm

BadGirl wrote: »

Pickarooney, i've nothing to read since i finished Game of Thrones last week, if you would like me to read i'd love to...

Not to sound like an ass, but would you be able to do it by the end of the month? I'm going to start another rewrite then.

BadGirl · 15-11-2011 12:49pm

pickarooney wrote: »

Not to sound like an ass, but would you be able to do it by the end of the month? I'm going to start another rewrite then.

I read Game of Thrones in 3 days so i should manage to finish by the end of the month!

pickarooney · 15-11-2011 12:51pm

BadGirl wrote: »

I read Game of Thrones in 3 days so i should manage to finish by the end of the month!

Yeah but that was probably a good book

pickarooney · 21-11-2011 10:39pm

A huge thanks to everyone who's given me feedback on this so far. I have four or five new chapters thought up and one final killing spree planned as a result. Also a lot of plot points which I thought were clear seem to be anything but.

It's cool to see that one person thought the book should basically revolve around a character someone else thought should be written out

BadGirl · 21-11-2011 10:40pm

Can't wait to read the next installment!

21-11-2011 10:42pm

pickarooney wrote: »

A huge thanks to everyone who's given me feedback on this so far. I have four or five new chapters thought up and one final killing spree planned as a result. Also a lot of plot points which I thought were clear seem to be anything but.

It's cool to see that one person thought the book should basically revolve around a character someone else thought should be written out

cutting out that dude i was on about would work too

looking forward to the rest

pickarooney · 21-11-2011 10:48pm

bluewolf wrote: »

cutting out that dude i was on about would work too

looking forward to the rest

I think you mentioned 11 dudes. And I can't find a role for Christopher Walken, sorry!

21-11-2011 10:49pm

pickarooney wrote: »

I think you mentioned 11 dudes. And I can't find a role for Christopher Walken, sorry!

i was being comprehensive :cool:

pickarooney · 21-11-2011 10:53pm

bluewolf wrote: »

i was being comprehensive :cool:

As in, you took me to grammar school?

21-11-2011 10:54pm

pickarooney wrote: »

As in, you took me to grammar school?

yes, after you made me cry :pac:

now less talking and more writing, i want the next bit before i get my books in the mail :pac:

pickarooney · 21-11-2011 10:55pm

I did some pre-writing but then I found beer and crisps. You don't want to read beer-and-crisps prose.

21-11-2011 10:59pm

i'd settle for having some crisps

BadGirl · 21-11-2011 10:59pm

pickarooney wrote: »

I did some pre-writing but then I found beer and crisps. You don't want to read beer-and-crisps prose.

Could be funny, but probably hard to follow

pickarooney · 21-11-2011 11:00pm

Well chapters 6-24 were written on mushrooms so it should give you some idea.

pickarooney · 29-12-2011 3:25pm

Finished rewrite 13 of this. If anyone was planning on reading version 11 and hasn't started, there's not much point now but if you want to help with the latest version that'd be sweeet

BadGirl · 29-12-2011 3:28pm

pickarooney wrote: »

Finished rewrite 13 of this. If anyone was planning on reading version 11 and hasn't started, there's not much point now but if you want to help with the latest version that'd be sweeet

I'll read again if you want pickarooney?

Leafonthewind · 29-12-2011 9:02pm

I'll read it again as well. Curious to see whose head wound up on the chopping block.

Antilles · 29-12-2011 9:34pm

I got a copy from you before but didn't have a chance to read it. I've less distractions now though so send it over

Beta readers wanted

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